Re: [bomp] I have seen the future and it ain't autogyros.

[jumpinginthenight <jumpinginthenight@xxxxxxxxx>]

Now there I can help: autogyros were 1930s-era airplanes with an additional extra freely rotating prop parallel to the ground. This enabled it to take off with much less speed and added to the airspeed. "Autogiro" was the trademarked name and a true gyro could go vertical like a helicopter. The post WW2 developement of helicopters made autogyros obselete but they are still pretty darn cool. For one thing, unlike a 'copter an autogyro still has a chance at a safe landing if it loses power. Helicopters drop like a stone. 
There is a famous photo of one buzzing a baseball stadium that the NYTimes runs every once in a while.
Something in the air? Chris T. on WFMU just mentioned autogyros this Friday: "It's 2005, where's my autogyro?"
 
They were considered very advanced.A couple of '30 pulp magazine crimefighters used 'em: The Shadow and Doc Savage (Doc pretty much was the inspiration for both Indiana Jones and Buckaroo Banzai), with Doc often taking off from the roof of his skyscrapper HQ.

ItsBoss9@aol.com wrote:

Oh man, THAT I'd like to see. It's mainly used for rooftop parties and
weddings now--no helicopter has landed on it since that time, I'm 
sure.----------

----------YOU DO KNOW that there's this film from the 1939 Futurama ride that 
has a line about how in the future, landing places will be on the top of 
Manhattan skyscrapers "for Helicoptors... and Auto-Gyros".

Where the fuck are the Auto-Gyros? God DAMNIT!!! (in Lennon's voice from 
the '66 Pennebaker footage w/ Dylan in the back of the car) "GET IT TOGETHER, 
MAN!!!"

At least the Beatles got to ride on a helicopter from the top of a Manhattan 
Skyscraper to the Port Authority/Terrace on the Park building. I guess the 
"future" was that, and therefore, the "future" is long-gone.

Tell those son-of-a-bitch bastards to put back the original exterior walls to 
Shea Stadium, too, fer chrissakes!!!

Domenic Priore

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